Device for preventing excessive condensation in the insulating space of refrigerators



04-4 t 0 SEARCH ROOM 8 v. 23, 1948. J. 5. PALMER 2,454,715 T DEVICE FOR PREVENTING BXCBSSIVB CONDBNSATION IN THE INSULATING SPACE 0F RBFRIGKRATORS Filed larch 8, 1946 Patented Nov. 2 3, 1948 SEARCH ROOM UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR PREVENTING EXCESSIVE CON- DENSATION IN THE INSULATING SPACE OF REFRIGERATORS John S. Palmer, Chicago, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application March 8, 1946, Serial No. 653,045

9 Claims. 1

to collect excessive moisture unless careful precautions are taken to prevent such action. This occurs due to the breathing of the insulating chamber. This breathing is caused by the lowering of the temperature within the insulating chamber, said lowering causing condensation of the humid air within the chamber. As this moisture is condensed, the atmospheric pressure within the chamber, of course, decreases, causing additional humid air to flow therein. This process is continuous during refrigeration and thus the excessive amount of condensation builds up ice around the evaporator coils or cooling means of the unit which soon results in the lowering of cooling efficiency. In order to prevent continued condensation of the water vapor carried in the humid air, it is desirable to provide a control means which will prevent the entry of additional humid air as the refrigerating unit reaches its predetermined temperature. It is the prime object of this invention, therefore, to provide a device for controlling the quantity of intake of humid air into the insulating space or chamber of a refrigerating unit.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device that will permit the atmospheric pressure within an insulating chamber of a refrigerator to be equalized with the normal outside atmospheric pressure while the refrigerating unit is being transported over varying altitudes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple and efficient breather construction for the insulating space of a refrigerating unit, said insulating space being otherwise hermetically sealed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon a further study of the description and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a refrigerator unit, a part of said unit bein broken away to show the insulating chamber.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

A refrigerating unit is generally indicated by the numeral l and includes a cover ll. Inner side walls l2 and outer side walls l3 are sealed at their upper ends by means of a channel section M to provide an insulating chamber or space '5. This insulating space I5 is generally filled with a heat insulating materiaI l6 of a conventional type. A cooling means is provided for said refrigerating unit by means of evaporator coils l1 suitably supported on the inner walls 12.

A moisture control means or breather device is generally indicated by the numeral l8 and comprises a short bent section of tubing is extending through an opening l9 of the outer wall l3. The inner bent portion of the tubing l9 extends upwardly and is in communication with a tube or conduit 20 of a relatively low heat conducting material such as rubber or the like. A connecting element or collar 2| suitably joins the tubes I8 and IS. The tube l8 extends upwardly and obliquely with respect to the outer wall l3 and is at its upper end joined for communication with a conduit or tube 22 by means of a collar 23.

The conduit or tube 22 is provided with a bend 24 which extends downwardly with respect to the tube 20 to a point below one of the evaporator coils ll, whereupon said tube 22 is bent to run longitudinally and adjacent to said evaporator coil IT. This longitudinally extending portion 25 of the tube 22 is suitably connected to the evaporator coil I! by welding or the like. The end portion 26 of the tube 22 extends upwardly and away from said evaporator coil 11.

As the refrigeration unit is placed into operation, a lowering of temperature takes place within the insulating chamber l5. This causes a condensation of the water vapor in the air, thus lowering the atmospheric pressure within the chamber. thereby causing additional humid air to flow into the conduits I9, 20, and 22. As this humid air passes through the longitudinally extending portion 25 connected to the evaporator coil 11, condensation of the Water vapor within the air takes place due to the immediate and effective cooling action of the evaporator coil ll. This moisture thereupon freezes within the said portion 25 and thus prevents any additional humid air from entering into the insulating chamber I5. Continuing condensation is thus prevented and the quantity of moisture entering into the insulating chamber can be effectively and automatically controlled. As the temperature within the insulating chamber rises, the ice formed within the portion 25 will melt, opening the breather is to the atmosphere and the moisture contained within the breather will be forced outwardly of the insulating chamber. The up- 3 turned end 26 of the tube 22 prevents this moisture from flowing into the insulating chamber.

The hreather I8 is also exceptionally efiective where the refrigerating units may be manufactured in high atmospheric pressure areas around sea level and subsequently transported to low atmospheric pressure areas. Since the insulating chamber is hermetically sealed in all places, the breather l8 will permit the atmospheric pressure within the insulating chamber to be equalized with the outside atmospheric pressure at all times.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigerator wall construction having inner and outer walls forming an insulating chamber, a heat insulating material disposed within said chamber, a cooling element for cooling said chamber, and a conduit in communication with the uncooled atmosphere and said chamber, said conduit including a portion in heat exchange relationshlp with said cooling element for condensing water in the atmosphere passing througl i s'aid conduit and for freezing the same therein.

2. A refrigerator wall construction having inner and outer Walls forming an insulating chamber, a heat insulating material and a cooling element within said chamber, a conduit positioned within said chamber and having an open end connected to the outer wall for communication with the uncooled atmosphere, and means connecting the other open end of said conduit to the coolin element, said cooling element being operative to condense and freeze water in atmospheric suspension within said conduit thereby closing said conduit and said chamber from the uncooled atmospherc.

3. A refrigerator wall construction having inner and outer walls forming an insulating chamber, a heat insulating material and a cooling element within said chamber, a conduit positioned within said chamber and having an open end in communication with the uncooled atmosphere, and means connecting the other open end of said conduit to the cooling element, said cooling element being operative to condense and freeze water in atmospheric suspension within said conduit thereby closing said conduit and said chamber from the uncooled atmosphere.

4. A refrigeration unit having inner and outer walls forming a heat insulating chamber, a cooling element within said insulating chamber, and means for controlling the intake and expulsion of air from said chamber comprising, a tube in communication with said chamber and the atmosphere, said tube having a portion thereof lyin adjacent to said cooling element, and said portion being of relative high heat conducting material whereby water in the atmosphere passing through said tube will be condensed and frozen by said cooling element to close said chamber from the atmosphere.

5. A refrigerating unit as claimed in claim 4, in which the portion of the tube adjacent the cooling element is formed in the shape of a loop for trapping and retaining the condensed water from the chamber.

6. A refrigeration unit having inner and outer walls forming a heat insulating chamber, a cooling element within said insulating chamber, and means for controlling the intake and expulsion of air from said chamber comprising a tube in communication with said chamber and the atmosphere, a portion of said tube extending longitudinally with and being connected in heat exchange relationship to said cooling element, said portion being of a relatively high heat conducting material.

7. A refrigeration unit having inner and outer walls forming a heat insulating chamber, a cooling element for cooling said chamber, and means for condensing water from the atmosphere entering said chamber comprising, a conduit positioned between said walls and extending through said outer wall for communication with the atmosphere, a longitudinally extending portion of said conduit lying adjacent to said cooling element, the end of said conduit being provided with a bent portion for retaining condensed water within said longitudinally extending portion.

8. A refrigeration unit having inner and outer walls forming a heat insulating chamber, a cooling element positioned within said chamber, means for condensing water from the atmosphere entering said chamber comprising, a tube positioned between said walls and having one end thereof connected to the outer wall for communication with the atmosphere, said tube extending upwardly and obliquely with respect to said outer wall, then downwardly for communication with a longitudinally extending portion lying adjacent to said cooling element, and means connecting said longitudinally extending portion to said cooling element, the end of said tube being turned upwardly to provide a trap for retaining condensed water within said tube.

9. A refrigerator wall construction having inner and outer walls forming an insulating chamber, a heat insulating material disposed within said chamber, a cooling element for cooling said chamber, and a conduit including a first portion within the chamber and a connected second por tion in communication through a wall of the chamber with atmosphere, said first portion being of material of relatively high heat conductivity and being associated in heat exchange relationship with the cooling element for condensing water in the atmosphere passing through said conduit portions and for freezing the same therein, and said second portion being of material of relatively low heat conductivity.

JOHN S. PALMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES FATENTS 

